


A New You

by akisazame



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-16
Updated: 2009-01-16
Packaged: 2018-02-24 13:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2583188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akisazame/pseuds/akisazame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the first time, she thought she saw a spark of true determination in Luke's eyes, altogether different from the desperation previously hidden in his expression.  Could it really be true that Luke was going to change?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New You

"Okay, let's go," Luke said firmly, his eyes fixed on Tear. For the first time, she thought she saw a spark of true determination in Luke's eyes, altogether different from the desperation previously hidden in his expression. Could it really be true that Luke was going to change?

Even so, despite all that, there was something that was bothering Tear. "But first... um, Luke?"

Luke blinked and cocked his head at her. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I'm not sure how to say this but... your hair is a mess."

That hadn't been at all what Luke had been expecting Tear to say. He'd been expecting her to suddenly turn on her heels, and to take back all the nice things she'd just said. Certainly he wasn't used to her being so encouraging, especially after the verbal abuse he'd had to suffer recently. Not just abuse from Tear, but from everyone. But this business about "your hair is a mess"? Who cared? He'd just made the biggest symbolic statement he could think of, and that was what she had to say? "Um, okay."

"I can't take you to see my grandfather looking like that. It's embarrassing." Her words were true, but Tear also felt a lingering something in the depths of her heart. A small part of her really wanted to help Luke to change, to become the person she knew he could be. She held out her hand for her knife, and Luke gave it back, a curious expression on his face. "Come on, let's go inside."

Luke followed her into her room, glancing back at the selenia garden before going in. He could see a few strands of his hair resting on the glowing blossoms. _Can I really leave that part of myself behind? Can I really grow up, just by trying? No, "can I" doesn't matter... I have to. It's something only I can do. I have to make up for everything I did wrong._ With a sigh, he entered Tear's room and closed the door behind him.

"Okay, sit down," Tear said, nodding at her bed. Luke did as he was told, which surprised her in and of itself; the old Luke would have kicked up a fuss, or whined about it at the very least. She lowered herself down onto the bed behind him, examining his handiwork closely. "Salvageable," she said simply, taking her knife in her hand and making a quick cut.

She frowned at the back of Luke's head when he flinched. "J- just be careful, okay?" he stammered. It was obvious that he was holding back a temper tantrum. _Well, it's not like he can change instantly._

Tear worked in silence, occasionally making a noise of frustration or satisfaction. Luke tried his best to stay still, even though he really wanted to squirm, increasingly uncomfortable with what Tear could be doing to his hair that he couldn't see. It was hard for him to trust; the only person he'd really trusted before was Master Van, and look how _that_ had turned out. Still, he wanted more than anything to trust Tear; even though she was constantly admonishing him, he didn't think she was a bad person. So why was it so hard to just put his faith in her? Not to mention that it was weird having her be this close to him, for reasons Luke couldn't fully explain. They were close together all the time, in battle or even just while traveling. But this felt different somehow, and he couldn't put his finger on the reason why.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when Tear stood up to fetch something from a table. Then she was back, sitting behind him again. "D- don't blame me if it looks bad. It's not like you gave me much to work with." She held a mirror in front of Luke's face, so he could see his new haircut for the first time.

It was jarring at first, seeing his own face staring back at him without the accompanying long locks -- either his own, or Asch's. His eyebrows scrunched together, studying his own reflection as hard as he could. He could see Tear's reflection as well, behind his own on the edge of the mirror, but he couldn't identify the look in her eyes. Focusing on himself again, he finally nodded. It would take some getting used to, but so would everything else. "Thank you, Tear," he said, turning to her and giving a lopsided smile.

Tear answered his smile with a curious, surprised look. "What did you just say?"

Looking away, his face turning red with deep embarrassment, Luke could only mumble, "Thanks."

This new Luke was quite strange, indeed.


End file.
